Additive atomizing systems and apparatus

ABSTRACT

Systems and apparatus for additive atomizing for severe operating environments are shown. An additive is introduced into a gas stream within a conduit, which provides atomization, into droplets, of the additive. The atomized droplets are then available for introduction into a severe operating environment, such as for example, a combustion chamber, furnace, incinerator, etc.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to additive atomization systems andapparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to additiveatomizing systems and apparatus for severe operating environments.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The introduction of an additive into an operating environment mayinclude atomization of the additive as it is being introduced into theoperating environment. Atomization may be desirable for many reasons,such as greater liquid surface area for subsequent combustion, greatermixing potential with any material existing within the operatingenvironment, etc.

Two main approaches are used to introduce and atomize additives in lowseverity environments. In one approach air-atomizing nozzles with afixed orifice located at the intersection of separate liquid and gasstreams regulate liquid flow and provide some of the energy needed foratomization of the liquid stream. In this type of approach liquid andgas line stream pressures must be balanced carefully as they areintroduced to the nozzle in order to achieve the proper combination offlow rate and spray characteristics (spray angle, droplet size, etc.)

In another approach, hydraulic nozzles depend on liquid feed pressure toachieve both atomization and control feed rate.

Both the balanced approach or liquid feed pressure approach require theuse of a small fixed orifice at the spray-producing nozzle to generateliquid breakup. These small orifices are prone to plugging and fouling.Moreover, the use of a fixed orifice for liquid flow control usuallyprovides minimal user flexibility since turndown is usually restrictedto about 2.5:1. Additionally, in low flow applications, liquid pressureregulation may be difficult and result in swinging flow rates.

In severe operating environments, injection systems may be used. Forexample, a fuel injection system is often used to introduce and atomizegasoline into a cylinder of an internal combustion automotive engine.Accordingly, a nozzle in a fuel injector or other injection apparatusmay be designed so as to provide desired atomization characteristics,such as size of liquid droplet, pattern of droplets, etc.

Of course, injection systems may fail, such as when an injector nozzleclogs. Occasionally the fuel itself may clog the injection throughcontaminates, etc. Moreover, the extreme operating environments,including temperature and pressure extremes, fouling effects ofcombustion side products, etc., often found in combustion chamberssubject injectors to various environmental fluctuations that may requirecompensation to ensure reliable fuel injection.

Accordingly, it is often difficult to maintain durability, reliabilityand other desired characteristics of additive apparatus and systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises additive atomizing systems and apparatusfor severe operating environments.

In systems of preferred embodiments, an additive stream is fed into agas stream via a conduit, resulting in atomization of the additive. Theatomized additive is then available for use, e.g., feeding into anoperating environment, etc.

In apparatus of preferred embodiments, an additive chamber is connectedto a conduit via an additive flow control device. A gas feed isconnected to the conduit as well via a gas flow control device so that,in operation, a gas introduced by the gas feed via the gas controldevice atomizes any additive introduced via the additive chamber andadditive flow control device. The atomized additive may then be providedvia the conduit as desired, for example, introduced into an operatingenvironment, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the various embodiments will becomeapparent from the following detailed description in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system, according toa preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a process according to a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a system, according to oneembodiment. Additive chamber 10 is connected to conduit 30 via additiveflow control device 20. In various embodiments, an additive chamber isto contain an additive, as is further described below. In this and otherembodiments, physical parameters (shape, size, and/or other parameters)of an additive chamber may be varied as desired. For example, a chamberused for a relatively viscous additive may be tapered, so as to assistin gravity fed introduction of the additive into a conduit. As anotherexample, additive chambers as known in the art may be used,appropriately modified (to include an additive flow control device, forexample.)

Additive flow control device 20 is to control the feeding of an additiveinto conduit 30. Control may be of any desired parameter, including flowrate, volume, etc. and additive flow control device 20 may be as knownin the art. For example, in various embodiments, additive flow controldevices may be a metering device or devices as known in the art, e.g.,rotameters, solenoid driven hydraulic injectors, piezo-crystal drivenhydraulic injectors, etc. Additive flow control devices may also beother types of flow control devices as known in the art, for example,valves; reciprocating injectors (which may be actuated many ways,including electrically, hydraulically and mechanically); pumps; fixedand/or flow-limiting orifices; venturis; eductors; nozzles; etc.Preferred embodiments use valves; reciprocating injectors and pumps.

Operation of an additive flow control device may be through manualand/or automatic means, as desired. Feedback or control loops may beimplemented as well. For example, a flowmeter may be used to ascertainadditive introduction rate, and to modify additive introduction ratewhen desired, e.g., if the rate is other than within a predeterminedrate tolerance.

In various embodiments it may also be desired to integrate a flowcontrol device into an additive chamber as well.

In preferred embodiments, turndown rate of additive introduction into aconduit may be varied as desired. A 10:1 range in turndown capacity ispresent in preferred embodiments; other embodiments may offeralternative ranges. In various embodiments the turndown capacity (and,as a result the turndown rate of additive introduction) may be variedmanually and/or automatically. Thus variable additive flow and/ortreatment rates may be used as desired.

Returning now to FIG. 1, gas feed 40, to supply gas, is shown as is gasflow control device 50. “Gas” is used here to include both generallypure gas as well as aerosol gas, which may include additives to the gas,such particulates, colloidal suspensions, etc.

Thus an embodiment may use atmospheric air as gas; another embodimentuse oxygen with suspended water particles, etc.

Any suitable gas may be used. For example, a gas may be chosen for itsreactive capacity. So, for example, in various embodiments, particulatesin a gas may provide one or more reactions upon encountering theadditive, e.g., providing a new substance, etc. prior to introduction toa reaction chamber. In yet other embodiments a catalyst in gas mayprovide modifications of any reaction in a reaction chamber uponintroduction to the combustion chamber.

Additionally, one or more suitable gases may be provided as well ifdesired. So, for example, an embodiment may provide a first gas during afirst period, and a second gas during a second period; other embodimentsmay mix gases to be provided; etc.

Returning now to the embodiment of FIG. 1, gas feed 40 is to provide airthrough methods as is known in the art to gas flow control device 50. Itshould be noted that in this and other embodiments a gas feed may supplymore than one gas as desired.

Gas flow control device 50 is to provide gas to conduit 30. In this andother embodiments, a gas flow control device may be any suitable device,such as a rotameter, injectors, valves, etc. Gas flow control device 50is to control variables of the gas to be supplied such as flow rate,volume, pressure, temperature, etc. through methods known in the art.Operation of a gas flow control device may be through manual and/orautomatic means, as desired. In various embodiments it may also bedesired to integrate a gas flow control device into a gas feed as well.Feedback or control loops may be implemented as well. For example, a gasflowmeter may be used to ascertain additive introduction rate, and tomodify additive introduction rate when desired, e.g., if the rate isother than within a predetermined rate tolerance.

In various embodiments, gas feed parameters may be established and/ormodified. So, for example, in various embodiments gas feed parametersmay include a parameter establishing sufficient gas velocity to generatea spray of additive droplets of desired characteristics, or desiredlevel of atomization. As another example, gas feed parameters in variousembodiments may be of sufficient flow rate to achieve any desired levelof mixing of gas and additive. As yet another example, gas feedparameters in various embodiments may be varied to adjust forenvironmental and other variables, including additive characteristics,etc. So, for example, a higher velocity gas feed may be used with a moreviscous additive while a lower velocity gas feed used with a lessviscous additive.

In certain embodiments, additives may be changed as desired. So, forexample, in an embodiment with a single gas feed, different additivesmay be used through varying gas feed parameters.

Returning now to the embodiment of FIG. 1, conduit 30 is to receiveadditive and gas from additive flow control device 20 and gas flowcontrol device 50. Any additive is usually supplied as a liquid stream,although other forms of supply may be used. For example, a series ofstreams, drops, etc. may be used in this and other embodiments. Any gasis usually supplied as a high speed compressed gas stream which may bevaried as desired.

When the additive meets the gas stream, it is at least partiallyatomized, and so droplets produced, through disintegration of theadditive in the gas stream. Atomization also may occur as the at leastpartially atomized additive is conveyed along conduit 30 by means of thegas stream traveling through the conduit.

Turning to FIG. 2, an example of atomization is shown. Additive stream aencounters gas stream b through injection at point 110, which may bewetted from the additive, further facilitating introduction, withinconduit 100. Droplets aa are formed and travel within gas stream b. Asdroplets aa travel, they may be further reduced in size, as for examplethrough impact with conduit wall 101, further shearing action imposed bygas stream b, etc. In this and other preferred system embodiments,additive introduction and metering occurs in an area separate from aninjection point (not shown.)

Atomization of any additive in various embodiments may be controlled byadjusting conduit parameters, such as length, shape, including linearand cross sectional, size, wall texture, e.g., rough smooth, ribbed,etc. For example, in preferred embodiments, conduits may include elbows,unions, etc. and/or other flow elements, and conduit length may beincreased, decreased, etc. in order to manipulate atomization. So, forexample, a longer conduit compared to a shorter conduit will generallyresult in a smaller droplet of additive, and thus provide greateratomization, as larger droplets will tend to “fall out” of a gas streammore frequently in a longer conduit and impact a conduit wall morefrequently, and thus smaller droplets be created as a result. Inpreferred embodiments, a conduit takes at least a partially conventionalflow connection (e.g., pipe, tubing tee, etc.)

It should also be noted that various types, etc. of material may becombined to be used as a conduit or conduits in various embodiments. So,for example, in sections where may be greater, such as in the areas ofadditive or gas input, sections may be of different materials to resistwear, be easily removable for replacement and maintenance, etc.

Returning now to FIG. 1, conduit 30 terminates in end 35. End 35 is forconveying the additive from the end of the conduit, in the form ofatomized droplets, into a chamber comprising a severe operatingenvironment, which comprises a chamber of a type used in gaseous,liquid, or solid burning systems, e.g. industrial, utility power,domestic furnaces, and/or incinerators, burning substances as known inthe art, including fossil fuels, such as, oil or coal, natural gas,biomass, industrial wastes, refuse derived fuel or municipal solidwaste, etc.

End 35 is used as an injection point, and it should be noted that theterm “injection point” is meant here to designate a conduit terminationpoint. For example, if the conduit is a tube, the injection pointcomprises the end of the tube, which is introduced into a chamber. Incertain embodiments, it may be desired to shape and/or the conduittermination point if desired as well.

Embodiments may be used to supply an additive in various ways, such as:

through combustion air to systems burning gaseous, liquid, and solidfuels;

to a combustion chamber such as the bottom of furnaces burning gaseous,liquid, or solid fossil fuels;

sparging additive into powdered coal or natural gas stream which is thensupplied to a burner;

sparging additive into powdered coal or natural gas stream in a burner.

It should also be noted that various devices may be added to an end of aconduit as well, such as for example, check valves, suitably shapedand/or sized orifices or nozzles, etc.

Replacement, repair and/or maintenance of various components of variousembodiments may be done without shutting down or flushing the system ofthe embodiment. So, for example, replacement, repair and/or maintenanceof various components in various embodiments (e.g., replacement of anadditive flow control device for resizing and the like, etc.) may bedone without removing additive from the additive chamber and/or additiveflow control, without removing the gas feed, etc.

Various additives may be used in various embodiments. For example,additives such as MMT (methyl cyclopentyldienyl manganese) produced byAfton Chemical, tricarbonyl femosyn and/or other carbon chelated and/orcomplex materials may be used in various embodiments. “Additive” is usedhere to include both generally pure additive as well as mixtures, whichmay include particulates, colloidal suspensions, etc. In certainembodiments, additives may be liquid, while in other embodimentsadditives may be other phases of matter. In various embodiments, morethan one additive, and/or gas feeds may be present as well.

Examples of additive categories include, but are not limited to, 1)combustion improvers; 2) slag modifiers and/or fouling inhibitors; and3) adsorbents.

Combustion improvers may be various types, such as liquids, solids, orgases. For example, liquid additives include:

i. Oil Soluble metal compound or mixtures of metal compounds of K, Na,Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Sr, Y, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ba, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Ceformulated with appropriate ligands and solvents to give the viscometriccharacteristics suitable for dosing into or onto fuel, into combustionair, or into a combustion chamber in various embodiments. The metalcompounds may be in any suitable organometallic form with ligands andcounter ions derived from MCP, CP, Carbonyl, MCP/carbonyls,CP/carbonyls, carboxylates, phenates, sulfonates, salicylates,organonoperoxides, etc., or mixtures thereof. Preferred combustioncatalysts are those derived from the metals Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Platinumgroup metals, and Ce. These may be injected into various combustionsystems, for example, those that bum gaseous, liquid and solid fuelssuch as natural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

ii. Water soluble metal compound or mixtures of metal compounds of K,Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Sr, Y, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ba, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, andCe. These may be in the form of oxides, hydroxides, carbonates,nitrates, halogenates, sulfates, sulfites, bisulfites, phosphates,phosphates, etc., and mixtures thereof and may be injected into variouscombustion systems, for example, those that bum gaseous, liquid andsolid fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

iii. Non metallic combustion improvers such as organonitrates (i.e.2-ethylhexyl nitrate), organonitrites, organonitros, peroxides,organoperoxides (i.e. di-tert-butyl peroxide), oxygenates (i.e. ethers,polyethers, polyetheramines alcohols, esters, (i.e. fatty acid methylesters), polyols, glymes (i.e. diglyme), azides, gas to liquids (GTLs),coal to liquid (CTLs), biomass to liquids (BTLs), etc. Non-metalliccombustion improvers may be combined as co-catalysts with either or bothoil soluble and water soluble metal based combustion catalysts, such as,for example, those identified above. These non metallic combustionimprovers, alone or in combination with other additives, may be injectedinto various combustion systems, for example, those that burn gaseous,liquid and solid fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

For example, solid additives may be various suitable powders, forexample, K, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Sr, Y, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ba, Re, Os,Ir, Pt, and Ce and mixtures thereof. They may be in the form of theactual metals, or oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, nitrates, halogenates,sulfates, sulfites, bisulfites, phosphates, phosphates, etc, andmixtures thereof. These may be injected into various combustion systems,for example, those that burn gaseous, liquid and solid fuels such asnatural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

For example, solid additives may be various suitable low molecularweight gaseous compounds of energetic materials such as organonitratesorganonitrites, organonitros (i.e. nitromethane), peroxides,organoperoxides oxygenates (i.e. ethers, alcohols, esters, azides, andvolatile forms of gas to liquids (GTLs), coal to liquid (CTLs), biomassto liquids (BTLs), etc, and mixtures thereof. These may be injected intovarious combustion systems, for example, those that burn gaseous, liquidand solid fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

Slag modifiers and/or fouling inhibitors may be various types, such asliquids, solids, or gases. For example, liquid and solid forms of Mg,Mn, Mo, Cu, Zn, Al, Si, Sn, and Ce, as metals, metal oxides, metalhydroxides, metal carboxylates, metal halogenates, metal carbonates,etc. may be used. Examples are MgO, Mg(OH)2, Mg-carbonates,Mg-carboxylate, Mg-silicates, Mg-aluminosilicates (i.e. vermiculites),MnO, Mn-carbonates, Mn-silicates, Mn-aluminosilicates, MMT andderivatives thereof, Mn-carboxylate, Mo-oxygenates, Cu-oxychlorides,Cu-carboxylates, Cu-silicates, Cu-aluminosilicates, ZnO,Zn-carboxylates, Zn-silicates, Al2O3, Al(OH)3.xH2O, Al-silicates (i.e.Kaolin), Al-silicates.xH2O, SiO2, SnO, CeO, Ce-carboxylates, etc. Thesemay be injected into various combustion systems, for example, those thatburn gaseous, liquid and solid fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, andcoal. With regard to slag modifiers and fouling inhibitors, preferredembodiments use an injection location downstream of the flame front andinto the flue gas system.

Adsorbents may be various types, such as liquids, solids, or gases. Forexample, liquid and solid forms of Mg, Ca, Al, Si, etc as oxides,hydroxides, aluminates, silicates, and carbonates may be used. Examplesare MgO, Mg(OH)2, Mg-carbonates, Mg-silicates, Mg-aluminosilicates (i.e.vermiculites), ZnO, Zn-silicates, Al2O3, Al(OH)3.xH2O, Al-silicates(i.e. Kaolin), Al-silicates.xH2O, Activated Carbons, etc. These may beinjected into various combustion systems, including flue gas systems ofcombustors, for example, those that burn gaseous, liquid and solid fuelssuch as natural gas, fuel oil, and coal.

The identification of additive categories and/or specific additives withregard to various embodiments, it should be noted, is not meant to beall additives that may be used with various embodiments—any suitableadditive may be used. For example, an additive may be chosen for itsreactive capacity. So, for example, in various embodiments, particulatesin an additive may provide one or more reactions upon encountering thegas, e.g., providing a new substance, etc. prior to introduction to areaction chamber. In yet other embodiments a catalyst in an additive mayprovide modifications of any reaction in a reaction chamber uponintroduction to the combustion chamber.

Additionally, one or more suitable additives may be provided as well asdesired. So, for example, an embodiment may provide a first additiveduring a first period, and a second additive during a second period;other embodiments may mix additives to be provided; etc.

It should be noted that in this and other embodiments, one or moreadditive and/or gas supplies may be used. So, for example, in theembodiment of FIG. 3, additive chamber 110 is connected to conduit 130via additive flow control device 120. An additive chamber 140 is alsoconnected to conduit 130 via additive flow control device 150. Gas feed160, to supply gas, is shown as is gas flow control device 170, andconduit 130 terminates in end 180. Thus one or more than one additivesmay be supplied as desired.

Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. Here additive chamber 210 isconnected to a conduit 230 via additive flow control device 220. Gasfeed 215, to supply gas, is shown as is gas flow control device 225, andconduit 230 terminates in end 235. Additive chamber 240 is connected toconduit 260 via additive flow control device 250. Gas feed 245, tosupply gas, is shown as is gas flow control device 255, and conduit 260terminates in end 265. Both ends 235 and 265 are introduced into chamber270. Thus one or more than one additives, through one or more conduits,may be supplied as desired.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment. Here is seen an additive chamber 310which comprises a 1280 gallon storage tank. An additive flow controldevice 320 comprises a variable area rotameter with a 48 mL per minutewater capacity. Conduit 330 comprises ⅜″ stainless steel tubing with endpoint 335 comprising an end of ⅜″ stainless steel tubing. Gas supply 340comprises compressed air in a 1″ pipe. A gas flow control device 350,for providing a gas flow rate on the order of 5 SCFM, comprises avariable area flowmeter having a separate ball valve with a 100 SCFM aircapacity, which results in an additive feed rate on the order of 22mL/min.

Although the various embodiments have been illustrated by reference tospecific embodiments, it will be apparent that various changes andmodifications may be made. Reference to “embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment. The appearances of the phrase “various embodiments” or“preferred embodiments” appearing in various places throughout thespecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

The various embodiments are intended to be protected broadly within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

1) An additive atomizing system for injection into severe operatingenvironments comprising: controlling the flow rate of an additive into aconduit; conveying said additive through said conduit by means of a gasstream traveling through said conduit; controlling the flow rate of saidgas stream; and, conveying said additive from the end of said conduit,in the form of atomized additive, into said severe operatingenvironment. 2) A system as in claim 1 with said gas stream furthercomprising a high speed compressed gas stream. 3) A system as in claim 1where said severe operating environment is selected from the groupconsisting of: gaseous, liquid, or solid burning systems. 4) A system asin claim 1 where said severe operating environment is selected from thegroup consisting of: industrial, utility power, domestic furnaces, orincinerators. 5) A system as in claim 1 where said severe operatingenvironment further comprises a chamber burning substances, whichsubstances are selected from the group consisting of: fossil fuels,natural gas, biomass, industrial wastes, refuse derived fuel ormunicipal solid waste. 6) A system as in claim 1 where said additiveflow rate control device is selected from the group consisting of:rotameters, solenoid driven hydraulic injectors, piezo-crystal drivenhydraulic injectors, valves or pumps. 7) A system as in claim 1 wheresaid gas flow rate control device is selected from the group consistingof: rotameters, injectors, or valves. 8) A system as in claim 1 wheresaid gas stream further comprises air. 9) A system as in claim 1 furthercomprising selecting a range of turndown capacity of said additive intosaid conduit. 10) A system as in claim 1 further comprising providing asecond gas stream into said conduit. 11) A system as in claim 1 furthercomprising providing a second additive into said conduit. 12) A systemas in claim 1 where said additive is chosen from the group consistingessentially of: combustion improvers, slag modifiers, fouling inhibitorsor adsorbents. 13) An additive atomizing system for injection intosevere operating environments comprising: controlling the flow rate ofan additive into a conduit; conveying said additive through said conduitby means of a gas stream, comprising air, traveling through saidconduit; controlling the flow rate of said gas stream; and, conveyingsaid additive from the end of said conduit, in the form of atomizedadditive, into said severe operating environment, where said operatingenvironment bums either gaseous, liquid, or solid fuels. 14) An additiveatomizing system for injection into severe operating environmentscomprising: controlling the flow rate of an additive into a conduit;conveying said additive through said conduit by means of a gas stream,comprising powdered coal or natural gas, traveling through said conduit;controlling the flow rate of said gas stream; and, conveying saidadditive from the end of said conduit, in the form of atomized additive,into said severe operating environment, where said operating environmentburns either gaseous, liquid, or solid fuels. 15) An apparatus foradditive injection into severe operating environments comprising: anadditive chamber, connected to a conduit via an additive flow controldevice, wherein said additive flow control device controls the flow rateof an additive; a gas feed connected to said conduit, via a gas flowcontrol device, wherein said gas flow control device controls the flowrate of a gas; with said conduit having an area in said conduit foratomizing any additive introduced by said additive chamber by means of agas stream introduced by said gas feed as well as an end for providingany atomized additive into said severe operating environment. 16) Anapparatus as in claim 15 with said gas stream further comprising a highspeed compressed gas stream. 17) An apparatus as in claim 15 where saidsevere operating environment is selected from the group consisting of:gaseous, liquid, or solid burning systems. 18) An apparatus as in claim15 where said severe operating environment is selected from the groupconsisting of: industrial, utility power, domestic furnaces; orincinerators. 19) An apparatus as in claim 15 where said severeoperating environment further comprises a chamber burning substances,which substances are selected from the group consisting of: fossilfuels, natural gas, biomass, industrial wastes, refuse derived fuel ormunicipal solid waste. 20) An apparatus as in claim 15 where saidadditive flow rate control device is selected from the group consistingof: rotameters, solenoid driven hydraulic injectors, piezo-crystaldriven hydraulic injectors, valves or pumps. 21) An apparatus as inclaim 15 where said gas flow rate control device is selected from thegroup consisting of: rotameters, injectors, or valves. 22) An apparatusas in claim 15 where said gas stream further comprises air. 23) Anapparatus as in claim 15 where said additive is chosen from the groupconsisting essentially of: combustion improvers, slag modifiers, foulinginhibitors or adsorbents.